Combination keyboard and mouse

• US 20030090394A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ari Zagnoev
• Original Assignee: Ari Zagnoev
• Inventors: Zagnoev, Ari
• Application Number:
  US10/001,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033

Abstract

A combination keyboard and mouse particularly suitable for electronic equipment (e.g. computer) which has at least two parts encompassing a keyboard, and having at least one movable keyboard part arranged on a support surface adapted to be gripped by one hand of a user to be moved on a support surface as a mobile keyboard part to generate pointing movement commands to cause movement of a pointing member on the computer. Specifically, data input keys on the movable keyboard are arranged in a generally QWERTY keyboard layout, wherein at least one data input key is located between the T and the Y keys.

Claims

1. A combined keyboard and pointing system for use with a computer, said system comprising a keyboard comprising at least two keyboard parts having keys for generating keying commands, wherein substantially all keys of a generally QWERTY keyboard are located on said keyboard, with about half the keys being on a first keyboard part and the other half of the keys on a second keyboard part, with at least one data input key being located on either or both said keyboard parts, said data input key/s being located between the T and Y keys, the first keyboard part being adapted to be gripped by one hand of the user and be moved on a support surface as a mobile keyboard part to generate pointing movement commands to cause movement of a pointing member on said computer associated therewith, at least one transducer to detect relative movement or positioning of the mobile keyboard part relative to the support surface, and a communication means for said first and second keyboard parts to send said pointing movement commands and said keying commands to said computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second keyboard part is adapted to be gripped by a hand of the user as a mobile keyboard part, said first keyboard part being adapted to be operated by the right hand of the user and said second keyboard part being operable by the left hand of the user.

3. The data input key arrangement in claim 1, wherein said data input key between the T and the Y is the backslash or backspace data input key.

4. The data input key arrangement in claim 2, wherein said data input key between the T and the Y is the backslash or backspace data input key.

5. A combined keyboard and pointing system for use with a computer, said system comprising:

two separate and distinct keyboard parts for generating keying and pointing commands,

said first keyboard part is stationary,

said second keyboard part is mobile,

said mobile keyboard part adapted to house at least one sensing device on a gripping surface wherein an operator is capable of activating from keyboard mode to mouse mode,

a backslash data input key located between the T and Y keys based on a generally QWERTY keyboard layout,

a backspace data input key located between the G and H keys based on a generally QWERTY keyboard layout, and

a number lock data key located between the B and N keys based on a generally QWERTY keyboard layout,

said backslash data input key located on said first stationary keyboard part,

said backspace data input key located on said first stationary keyboard part,

said number lock data input key located on said second mobile keyboard part,

at least one transducer to detect relative movement or positioning of mobile keyboard part relative to a support surface, and

a communication means for said first and second keyboard parts to send said pointing movement commands and said keying commands to said computer.